In this very brief episode, Dr. Wendy Bazilian shares a personal reflection on why true rest and recreation are not luxuries—they're essential parts of health. As she takes a short break to reconnect with family, nature, and herself, she offers thoughtful reminders about the creative, healing power of play, presence, and pausing.

Whether you’re already taking time off or planning your next moment of rest, recreation or vacation, this episode invites you to reframe “rest” as a necessary rhythm of wellbeing.

Featuring a quote from poet David Whyte and wisdom from Wendy’s 6-year-old daughter, this heartfelt message is a gentle nudge to explore, recharge, and remember what truly matters.

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Thank you for tuning in to 1,000 Waking Minutes and being part of this journey—together. A huge thank you to our amazing collaborators including our production and marketing teams, and Gabriela Escalante in particular. To the ultra-talented Beza for my theme music, my lifelong friend and artist Pearl Preis Photography and Design, to Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell, and of course, my family and everyone working tirelessly behind the scenes.

HEALTH DISCLAIMER:

The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individual medical or health advice. Always consult with your trusted healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medical treatment.

I like to explore because

it gives you new ideas

on how to be yourself

and it helps you.

We experience 1,000 waking

minutes on average every day.

How are you spending yours?

I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and

you're listening to 1,000

Waking Minutes.

I can't wait to connect

with you here with practical

ways to eat well, move

daily, and be healthy, to

optimize every waking minute you

live for a happier, healthier

life.

Thank you for sharing some

of your waking minutes with

me today.

Let's get started.

I'm saying yes to better

days, yes.

I'm on my way, yes.

It's gonna be okay, yeah.

Hello, it's Wendy Bazilian, your

host on 1,000 Waking

Minutes, and this week

as

I'm heading on a little

holiday and stepping away to

spend some much-needed time

with my family.

I didn't want to go

completely silent, so I decided

to record here a couple

of minutes to share.

I always say that health

isn't just about nutrition and

movement.

It's also about rhythm, and

right now my rhythm is

calling for a little pause

for some recreation.

Now, we often say that

we're taking a break or

going on vacation.

Abroad, they call it a

holiday, which I kind of

love.

Personally, I really like to

think of it as recreation

because that word says so

much when you really think

about it.

Sure, it's a break in

one sense, a pause from

deadlines, the housework, my inbox,

and that constant mental load

of everyday life.

It's a mental break in

one sense, but it's not

a break from the mind

itself.

It's just a different way

to engage it.

You're still thinking, sensing, noticing,

and it's just with a

little more space and more

ease.

It's less about checking the

boxes on your to-do

list and more about checking

in with yourself, your people,

and your surroundings.

Recreation, think about the word,

literally, re-creation, and it's

a part, a vital part

of being well.

Whether it's a long walk,

extended time to just daydream,

enjoy something that gives you

the giggles or downright belly

laughs, or maybe take a

nap in the outdoors, these

are the moments how we

refill our spiritual and our

physical tanks.

Holidays or real recreation helps

us return to our work,

our relationships, even our own

thoughts with more clarity and

more energy.

So I'm disconnecting, really, so

I can actually better reconnect

with my daughter and family,

with nature, with quiet, and

with myself.

And while this is a

short hello today, I hope

it can also be a

message or perhaps simply a

reminder that we can all

benefit from this and that

recreation and rest aren't just

luxuries.

They're part of what it

means to be well.

Rest isn't a reward for

productivity.

It's what makes real productivity

possible.

So as I take a

bit of a mental break,

that doesn't mean I'll be

lounging the whole time, though

that does sound nice for

a little bit.

And a mental break isn't

just about our emotional health

or my emotional health, but

it's about tapping other parts

of our mental spaces too.

Creativity, registering new sounds and

new tastes, creating new memories,

and allowing time to reflect

on the many things that

have occurred in recent months

and occasions, solidifying memories, since

it does seem like we're

always moving at such a

quick pace at times.

I'm looking forward to eating

foods that are nourishing and

fun and new, moving my

body in ways that feel

joyful, and getting in the

water, which is calling me,

perhaps all of us, right

now.

And I'll be leaning into

health through self-care and

play, real play, playing cards,

games we make up, silly

stories we tell, and exploring

without a schedule.

So back to the idea

of recreation and rest.

It's a vital part of

overall well-being.

I was thinking about a

line from the poet and

philosopher David Whyte, who was

also actually a personal friend

of a dear friend of

ours who passed just one

year ago.

In his book, Consolations, David

Whyte writes, in his chapter

on rest, and I quote,

"Rest is the conversation between

what we love to do

and how we love to

be," end quote.

That one line says so

much.

Rest isn't passive.

It's deeply creative.

It's how we reconnect to

the why behind what we

do, whether that's our work,

our parenting, or just how

we show up for others

and for ourselves.

And honestly, some of the

best reminders come from my

daughter.

She's now six, and she

teaches me daily about the

value of play and presence.

When we were talking about

our upcoming trip, we talked

about having new spaces to

play and explore, and here's

what she said.

"You know what's important about

play, Mama, is that it

helps you learn and grow

and just be yourself."

Isn't that poetic and so

true and so cute?

It helps not just children,

but us.

Helps us learn and grow

and be and find ourselves.

Another thing that she said,

"I like to explore because

it gives you new ideas

on how to be yourself,

and it helps you."

I mean, so, so good.

That's in her words, in

her voice.

It's kind of amazing what

we inherently know before we're

sometimes taught to forget.

So maybe this is your

reminder, too, to step away

from the scroll, the noise,

the constant doing, even just

for a moment, to play

and to explore.

And in the meantime, I'm

dreaming up some fresh ideas

I'm excited to share with

you soon.

But for now, I'm off

the mic, barefoot in the

grass, listening to what my

body and the world around

me have to say.

Thanks for being here.

Remember to take in some

daily moments, some weekly moments

to rest and recreate, too.

Thank you for sharing a

few of your waking minutes

with me today.

And until soon, be well.

Thank you for tuning in

to 1,000 Waking Minutes.

A huge thank you to

our amazing collaborators, including our

production and marketing teams and

Gabriela Escalante in particular, to

the ultra talented Beza for

my theme music, my lifelong

friend and artist, Pearl Preis

Photography and Design, to Danielle

Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell,

and of course, my family

and everyone working tirelessly behind

the scenes and to you,

our valued listeners.

I so appreciate your support.

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Until next time, find some

simple opportunities to optimize those

1,000 Waking Minutes each day.

I'm saying yes to better days, yes I'm on my way. Yes, it's gonna be okay, yeah.